Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1887-06-01

Twa Lsttio Boys strsngiSd by Their
Aged Grandfather--T Takon FROM
Their Beds at Night and hidden

Twa Lsttie Boys strsngiSd by Their
Aged Grsndfather-- Takon FROM
Their Beds at Night and Hidden
Under Grouad.
LEBANON, May S.--This place has
been In ferment OF excitement all day
over double murder perpetrated al
Annvllle, q quiet little village Ave
miles from here. Tho detaile ars most
revolving.
William Showers, aged 59.a wiiower.
and q cigarmaker by trade, lived 90
the outskirts OF Annville in o modest
little home. Living with him were two
boys named Samuel end William Hof.
nsge), aged Q and 8 years respectively,
his grandsons. They wers the children
daughter. Their care devolved upon
tiopal expense which they caused, He
Engaged housekesper named Mrs.Sar
gent, but this woman told him that abe
the house.
THE BOYS MISSING.
Showers suddenly began to entertain
. strange enmlty towards his little
Rrsndsons. He promistd that they
should ba bound out, and about two
weeks ago the boys disappeared from
the house Showers told his neighoors
that be bad indertured them to q party
near Tower City, Schuylkill County.
Then eusplcion arose in the miuds Of
the people That all was not right and
Istrango whisperings reached tha Off.
lcials in Lebanon that murder had
been committed. Showers told con.
Ificting stories and at late buur last
hight Constable Fogan went to his
house and arrested him. 1t was 2
lo'clock this morning when The doors
closed behind him in the Lebanon Jail
Still, he wAs only arrested on suspi
cion until an investi gasion could h
Imade. Olce ne said that he had River
the boys in charge Of mau who would
provide them with q good home IL
Tsxss. Again he told . story Of ho =,
: he bad driven the boys to Tower Olty
land given them In charge Of . farmer
how be had sent the boys back fo
something he had loss on the road ant
how they had been kidnapped b.
tramps. He said thss The boys hat
been kidnapped In this vicinity Of In
, d;antown Gap. . dangerous place
,, where old Joe Raber wss murdered 10
$50, 600 Insurance money, for " hioh fly
, men ware hanged. He declared upol
his solemn cath tina. be did not know
the whereabouts Of The children, AM
tears streamed do~n his checks rs b
called upon God for his witness.
FOUND BURIED IN THE YARD.
Many Of the officials who held conver
eation with him were Inclined to pellev
: him, still the District Attorney wac no
5 satisfied aud ordered striot search o
) the premises occupied by Showers
. Late this afternoon the dead bodies o
1.-THE boys were found buried In tina var,
: OF 6howera' house. The bodies wer
badly decomposed. They were foun'
; In shallow graves under two feet O
earth ok feet apart, and about twent,
. lyards from the house. The boys hat
. been strancled with twins or rope, TO
: there were deep indentlobs In tbelr neck
D made from string tightly twisted aroun'
6 four or i've times, - -
81 They were entirely nude exceptir
their night gowns. After they had bse
y lstrangled the brutal murderer, 10 max
y his work sure, battered in their head
o and then carried their bodies In tn
= might and buried them In the holes thO
had evidently been prepared 10 I'D
lvancs. The body of one Of the boy
Hooked as II 1t had been beaten with
j Iclub after the choking. The boys wei
: tevidently taken out OF their beds .
l might nnd killed.
8 It was well that Showers WAS safe l
J, Lebanon Jail. Had ho bsen there wbe
j. the bodies were found he would hav
G been lypched on the spot. The greater
: excitement prevailed. When confronte
: with evidence of his crime the wretchs
: murderer &C Messed all.